China arrests five more over Tibet riots

Three young Tibetan women were arrested for allegedly setting fire to a garment store on March 14 that led to the deaths of five people, while two Tibetan men were held for allegedly torching a motorcycle store on March 15, which also killed five including an 8-year-old, spokeswoman Shan Huimin said.

Those arrested were all in their 20s, according to Shan.

"These two arson cases once again firmly show that the March 14 incident is not at all a peaceful demonstration, or peaceful opposition, but a gravely violent and criminal incident," Shan told reporters.

China says the rioting in Tibet was masterminded by Tibet`s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who has denied being behind the violence that has since spilled over into China`s surrounding provinces.

Shan, who spoke to reporters at a Beijing hotel, did not take questions after making the announcement of the arrests.

In the announcement, she repeated that public security officials and military police were exercising restraint and were not using lethal weapons against citizens. A total of 242 officers have been injured in the course of security operations, according to Shan.

The fresh arrests were in addition to the 24 which Lhasa authorities announced ...